Things To Do In Las Vegas With A Baby

Most people think of Vegas as a place for adults to get away and have a little fun but if you are considering going to Vegas with a baby the options for fun and entertainment may seem a little murky. You can’t really sit at the Blackjack tables with a baby sipping on drinks all evening and it’s not really possible to go to many premium shows with a baby either. Despite the fact that Las Vegas is an adult paradise for entertainment the options for enjoying yourself with kids are slim but they are there if you change your perspective a little bit.

When traveling to Vegas with a baby you have to think of your entertainment options from a new light. Las Vegas becomes less of a place for adult entertainment in the middle of the night and more of a place for sightseeing family friendly entertainment during the day. One of the most family friendly options for staying in Vegas with a child or baby is to stay in a hotel with a nice pool area.

Some of the smaller hotels have smaller pools with less going on but some of the nicer resorts have pool areas with premium features like private cabanas which can make for excellent outdoor entertainment for any family with small children. Babies in particular shouldn’t be exposed to too much sunlight and a cabana, despite it’s extra cost, can satisfy a families desire to get outside at the poolside while still providing shade for the little ones.

Pool activities are more of a day event than a night event and they can offset the costs you might incur otherwise by staying out late going to shows and/or drinking. Additionally some of the nicer pools which offer private cabanas have excellent outdoor entertainment and dining options making the experience particularly enjoyable. Mandalay Bay for instance has a wave pool shaped like a beach. This is definitely a way to keep the kids entertained. Other pools have lazy rivers, water slides, and more adult friendly hot tubs and pool bars.

If staying outside with a baby isn’t in the cards for you and your family then maybe going to one or all of the free shows throughout the strip may be a better idea. Circus Circus is built for families with kids. They have free circus shows throughout the resort which can be entertaining for both you and your family. The baby may not be able to comprehend but small children can easily be wowed by many of the circus acts.

Other free places on the strip including the lions at MGM, the pirate ship at TI, the volcano at the Mirage, or the gondola rides at the Venetian are all good options for keeping kids entertained without spending very much. In fact most of the major hotels have a small multitude of free shows periodically throughout the day within their confines. Many of these shows are located near the shops and malls in the hotel so simple going for a walk through these areas may turn up a few points of interest that you didn’t even know about.

For those parents willing to spend a little money on entertainment there are many options for day time entertainment along the strip which are family friendly and appropriate for kids and babies. Most of the museums cost small admission fees for adults but offer free admittance for children under a few years of age. If you wanted to visit the shark reek at Mandalay Bay for instance you would pay less than $20 per adult and your baby could get in for free. Gondola rides are similarly priced for babies and small children as are tickets to see the Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage.

If your small children are a little older then you may want to venture into the many movie theatres, arcades, or playlands that many hotels include. Excalibur for instance has a very large arcade as does Circus Circus and on the south end of the strip you can also spend plenty of time in the M&M factory museum and arcade. For adults these are excellent excuses to revisit our youthful ways and they are perfect for entertaining small kids in safe environments.

Another option for parents with babies in Las Vegas is to head down to the Freemont Street Experience. This is a location that is outside on the street between hotels and casinos downtown but the area is covered and the street is blocked off to cars and other vehicles. During the evening and night the overhead cover to the street regularly has light shows displayed which are free for all people walking the street and there are bands and other performances regularly scheduled throughout the afternoon and evening.

If you want to spend some good time watching free shows which are in the vicinity of the pleasures of the casino this may be a great option for you and your kids. Not only that but on the East end of the Fremont Street Experience is a large movie theatre which can provide a good alternative for entertainment while you are out on the town.

As you might expect going to Vegas for a few days is a better experience if you are a couple seeking a fun experience or a family with grown children but there are plenty of things to do in Vegas with kids which quite often correlate nicely with saving money or visiting Vegas on a tight budget. If you stick to the free shows and the free exhibits offered by many of the hotels you can easily occupy a full day without sacrificing too much. Just make sure to spend a good amount of time outside at the pool and a lot of time walking the streets and seeing the free shows and above all make sure to stop by the Lion Habitat at MGM. After all how often do you really get the chance to get a picture of your kids with lions. They will love it and so will you.

Comments

Jul 31, 2011 10:53pm

Deborah-Diane
Great article about taking a young child to Las Vegas. I can remember taking our children to see the lions at MGM and to see the volcano erupting at the Mirage. We've also ridden the gondolas at the Venetian and, of course, frollicked in some of the fabulous Vegas swimming pools. Your article brings back great memories!

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